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Monday, July 30, 2012

There will always be those who respect tradition and love it! (interview with Dajana Radovic&JelenaVojnovic)

The second edition of the International Folklore Festival was organized in Aiud between 19-22 July. The 7 dance groups came from: Bosnia, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Serbia, Turkey and Romania. This year, the festival was very successful, and the public’s favorite dancers were from Bosnia and Serbia!

Exclusive interview, with two excellent and beautiful dancers from Bosnia!

Who was present on Dr. Constantin Hagea square can prove that what I wrote here is not exaggeration, because the groups offered a fantastic show. Most of the claps and cheers were for Bosnia and Serbia. The cameras flashed continuously, almost every person in the front row had a camcorder in his hand, because they wanted to perpetuate the beautiful dances.

What means folk dance for you?

Dajana Radovic: Folk dance is part of the culture of any nation, and it is a symbol that represents you everywhere, and it is part of you, your origins and that's why we are trying

to preserve them and promote them because it was be a great shame if we forgot it.

Jelena Vojnovic: It’ means a lot! I chose to dance folk because I'm very, very proud of our tradition; I'd like to show to other countries and other cultures the way our grandmothers and grandfathers used to dance.

"There will always be those who respect tradition..." (Dajana Radovic)

Most of the young people are not attracted to folk dance. The saying folk dance has no future, and the future in the hip-hop, R&B, and other modern dance styles. Why is that?

D.R. Folk dance is a part of tradition, something old, something that reminds young people of how they grandparents lived, and how that was in the past, and I believe that is not very popular, especially now, where when modern activities are part of life of young people. Modern dances are popular, you can see your idols dancing it, they are funny, and those might be the reasons why young’s choose them over the folk dance - although folk dance is beautiful and not as easy as it seems! But there will always be those who respect tradition and love it!

J.V. I think the young people are choosing hip-hop and similar dances because of the strong media influence from the west. They promote their new music very wisely, and make the young people choose it instead of their tradition. But I'm always for the second one, tradition! In our country a lot of the young people decide to dance this kind of dance, because we have the chance to travel, and see other countries, and inside the group is a great friendship, we are like brothers and sisters.

In your opinion, how far is the concept of classic dance, to the folk dance?

D.R. Classic dance is very different type of dancing, comparing to folk dance. Folk dance is based on a tradition, on differences between nations, their history and classic dance hasn't that aspect of history. It is very nice indeed, and popular, but I think it can't be compared to folk dance, and its concept can't be totally used in folk dance.

J.V. It’s pretty far, because it’s a difference between music and costumes. Both of the styles are hard to perform, but also both are beautiful.

"Tradition is something that stays the same, has its value and there is always going to be young people who will choose not to let it be forgotten!" (Jelena Vojnovic)

Where do you see the folk dance, in 10 years? It's possible, that folk dance will disappear?

D.R. No, folk dance can't disappear because it would mean that part of national customs and part of roots of one nation would disappear. So in the future, folk dance will still be there, because it became a part of culture, most countries have the National ensemble which presents their culture all over the world, most governments support that kind of activity and I am sure that every man is glad to see traditional dances, especially traditional costumes which are very interesting. So, in 10 years we'll still have the folk festivals, and we'll be seeing all over the world.

J.V. I think that the folk dance has great future, young people will find out eventually what is good and valuable and not some kind of music which changes from season to season and brings new celebrities which show suddenly, last a year or two and then disappear. Tradition is something that stays the same, has its value and there is always going to be young people who will choose not to let it be forgotten!